Choosing Sides
|fgcolor= |name=Choosing Sides |prev=The Hunt for Tassadar |conc= |next=Into the Darkness |image=ChoosingSides SC1 Map1.jpg |imgsize=350px |conflict=Great War |date=May, 2500 |place=Char |result=Tassadar enters infested Terran Dominion compound |side1= Tassadar's Followers |side2= Zerg Swarm |side3= Terran Dominion |commanders1= Executor Artanis High Templar Tassadar |commanders2= |commanders3= General Edmund Duke |forces1=Fleet of the Executor |forces2=Jormungand Brood |forces3= Alpha Squadron |client= |reqmissnum= |altmission= |goal=*Bring Tassadar and two zealots to the installation entrance |heroes=Tassadar |newchar= |newunit=Shuttle, Reaver |newtech=Robotics facility, Robotics support bay }} Choosing Sides is the fifth protoss mission of Episode III of StarCraft. History Background Judicator Aldaris and Executor Artanis were sent to Char to find the rogue High Templar Tassadar and bring him home to Aiur to stand trial on crimes of treason. Instead Artanis chose to aid Tassadar in finding Dark Prelate Zeratul, who Tassadar believed could help them save Aiur from the zerg invasion.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Hunt for Tassadar (in English). 1998. Artanis and Tassadar descended to the surface of Char, where Zeratul had taken refuge in a terran installation infested by the zerg. Aldaris contacted the two and urged Artanis to turn back now, or be branded a traitor by the Conclave along with Tassadar. Tassadar and Aldaris argued over the legitimacy of Tassadar's actions, Aldaris bringing up the failed assault on a zerg cerebrate that was carried out under Tassadar's advice. Tassadar explained that he learned afterward that only the energy of the dark templar could permanently kill a cerebrate, which was why Zeratul's aid was so critical. Artanis remained sided with Tassadar, and a furious Aldaris departed Char to return to inform the Conclave of these events.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Mission: Choosing Sides (in English). 1998. Mission Artanis and Tassadar engaged the zerg, also running afoul of the Terran Dominion's Alpha Squadron for intruding on their airspace.Edmund Duke: "Protoss Commander, this is General Edmund Duke of the Terran Dominion Armada. You are in violation of our air-space and have endangered human lives in your reckless attack against the Zerg. I order you to withdraw your ships immediately. If you fail to comply, I will not hesitate to open fire upon your vessels." Tassadar: "General Duke, I am Tassadar, and you are well known to me. Whatever leniency I extended to you and your comrades before, may have been in error. If you persist in halting our course, we will burn your pathetic fleet down to the last man." Duke: "I'm going to have to assume that was a hostile response..." StarCraft. Vivendi Games. Level/area: Choosing Sides (in English). 1998. Alpha Squadron sent a small attack fleet against the protoss, but the fleet was destroyed and the protoss focused their attention on the zerg again. Artanis was able to sneak a shuttle containing Tassadar and two zealots behind the zerg lines, allowing the three to enter the infested installation and begin searching for Zeratul. Walkthrough The player's starting base is on an island, and the zerg will use overlords to drop zerg on the base throughout the mission. Tassadar's psionic storm is invaluable in defending from the zerg, and photon cannons along the edges of the player's base can help deter overlords. There is an expansion on low ground to the north-west, and the player should take it early on to speed up mining. The player should forgo ground defenses to build a fleet of scouts, at least a dozen, preferably more. The player should also consider a robotics facility to warp in shuttles. The player begins with a single shuttle, but it is safer to have more. The map is covered in zerg scourge, and if the shuttle carrying Tassadar is destroyed, the mission is lost. Once the player has their fleet, they are ready to begin. Create some hallucinations of scouts with Tassadar, and use them to bait the scourge south of the base into attacking. With them out of the way, the player can move their fleet, with the shuttle carrying Tassadar and the zealots accompanying it, south and then south-east. The scouts can shoot their way to the beacon, at which point Tassadar and his escort can be disembarked to win the mission. In the north-eastern corner of the map are several terran structures. If the player destroys any of these structures, or comes too close to the area, a fleet of wraiths led by a battlecruiser will spawn and attack the player's base. Given the player does not need to approach the terran base, it is advised they steer clear of it to avoid the hassle of the terran counterattack. References Category:StarCraft Episode III missions Category:StarCraft Protoss missions